Vidhan Soudha cash seizure: ACB may question minister

BENGALURU: Based on the confessions made by Mohan Kumar, a stenographer and the prime accused in the cash seizure case at Vidhana Soudha, Backward Classes Welfare minister C Puttarangashetty is likely to be questioned. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is collecting evidence regarding the case and is likely to question the other accused soon.

After Mohan was handed over to ACB custody on Wednesday, sources told The New Indian Express that they were now awaiting court permission to access Mohan’s phone. “That will shed light on the people he was in touch with. We are also trying to extract details of other communication he had had regarding the source of money, its intended recipient and other details available in the phone,” sources said.

Investigating officials have also learnt that the money found with Mohan was taken in different batches. While Mohan had personally gone out and collected cash from different individuals twice, two other accused in the case allegedly walked into the Vidhana Soudha with a total of around Rs 8 lakh in their possession. “While Ananth Shankar walked in with Rs 3.6 lakh in cash to the office, another accused in the case, Krishnamurthy, came with Rs 4.26 lakh in cash,” sources said.

When contacted, M Chandra Sekhar, Additional Director General of Police, said they would interrogate everyone who is required to be questioned in the case. Mohan was arrested on Friday after Rs 25.76 lakh cash was found with him. During the investigation by Vidhana Soudha police, he had claimed that the money was meant for the minister.